WAYS TO BE
PREPARED
FOR:
EARTHQUAKES
Nevada is one of the most
highly active states for
earthquakes. Make sure
to be prepared.
Become aware of
fire evacuation and
earthquake plans for
all the buildings you
occupy regularly
Pick safe places in
each room of your
home, workplace and/
or school
Practice drop, cover
and hold on in each
safe place
Keep a flashlight and
sturdy shoes by each
person’s bed
Make sure your home
is securely anchored
to its foundation
Bolt and brace water
heaters and gas
appliances to wall
studs
Bolt bookcases, china
cabinets and other tall
furniture to wall studs
Hang heavy items
such as pictures and
mirrors, away from
beds, couches and
anywhere people sleep
or sit
Brace overhead light
fixtures
Keep and maintain
emergency supply
kits in easy-to-access
location

Visit RedCross.Org for the
entire checklist on earthquake
preparedness.. Learn what to
do before, during, and after an
earthquake.

DID YOU KNOW?

Doorways are no stronger than
any other part of the structure.
During an earthquake, get
under a sturdy piece of
furniture and hold on. This will
provide protection from falling
objects that can inure you
during an earthquake.

Fire Hurts...

RED CROSS HELPS
Join us in our campaign to help local fire victims
by providing assistance for their immediate needs.

A

As we begin a new year, the Red Cross is kicking off one
of our most important fund raising efforts. The “Fire Hurts…
Red Cross Helps” campaign raises money for families in the
Las Vegas valley who have faced the tragedy of a home fire.
On Friday, January 6 at the Clark County Fire
Department Training Center, supporters and partners of the
American Red Cross joined together to launch the 2012 Fire
Hurts…Red Cross Helps Campaign. This campaign is
a special initiative of the Red Cross to provide assistance to
local families who have lost their home and belongings
in a fire.
This year’s supporters include: Wells Fargo, Bank of
America, National Security Technologies, Navarro-Intera,
Jim Butler from GCA Environmental, Har-Bro Construction,
Paul Davis Restoration, and the Henderson Professional
Fire Fighters.
Several partners also turned out to support the
campaign and all were presented with a certificate of
appreciation. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
and Boy Scouts of America assembled hundreds of comfort
kits (personal hygiene kits) to be handed out at the scene
of a home fire. Deseret Industries provides vouchers for
their thrift store to so families can replace basic items like
furniture and bedding.
Fire Fighters of Southern Nevada Burn Foundation
pledged $10,000 in Visa gift cards to further augment the
assistance provided by the Red Cross to home fire victims.
We all hope that it never happens to us or our friends,
but the fact that it could is a sad reality. The Red Cross of

LIFESAVING HERO:

JONAHSCHREINER
Local hero saves sister’s life by putting his
American Red Cross knowledge to use.

Not long ago, Jonah Schreiner was faced with a
situation that most of us only imagine in our most
horrifying nightmares.
For Jonah, it was a typical day. After getting home
from school, he had begun his homework when he
realized the house was suddenly quiet—his 18 month old
sister was nowhere to be found. Some family members
were visiting and they had opened the dog door so their
dogs could go in and out. No one knew that Jonah’s baby
sister followed the dogs out onto the pool deck.
When he realized she was missing, Jonah sprang into
action to find his siter floating face down in the pool.
The training he received just months before suddenly
kicked in. He sent someone to call 911 while he pulled

Southern Nevada sends volunteers and financial help for food,
clothing, shelter and medications to a family devastated by a
fire every 30 hours. Thanks to the generosity of the people in
Southern Nevada, every person who finds themselves faced
with a home that has been gutted by fire will have a Red
Cross worker standing by their side to assess the damage, and
provide assistance and understanding to help that family start
their long path to recovery, both financially and emotionally.
That’s why this initiative is so important. In 2011, the Red
Cross has assisted almost 1,000 people by providing financial
assistance to help these families get on their feet. And we’re
able to help because of our donors. Our goal for this year is
$250,000 and we hope that we can count on all of you to
help. Please use the enclosed envelope for your generous
and much appreciated donation, or go to our website www.
redcrosslasvegas.org and click on “Fire Hurts… Red Cross
Helps,” and then go to “Local Chapter.” Your donations will
be credited to our local community’s financial reserves to help
Southern Nevadans in their time of need.
Donate to the Fire Hurts Campaign at www.redcrosslasvegas.org

HEALTH AND SAFETY
the toddler from
the water. He
performed CPR on
his baby sister for an
agonizing 4 minutes
before she regained
consciousness and
had a pulse.
Jonah knew what
to do because of his
instruction from
the American Red
Cross. The attending
paramedics and physicians agree that, without Jonah’s
lifeguard training, the end to this story would have been
tragic.
Jonah was honored as the recipient of the American
Red Cross Lifesaving Award by the Red Cross of Southern
Nevada chapter in recognition of his bravery and calm
focus under pressure resulting in saving his sister’s life.

>>> Red Cross Out and About

in Our Community
UPCOMING EVENTS
January - MLK Day of Service
The Red Cross is looking for people and
organizations such as church groups, high school and
college groups, or professional organizations to join us
in helping spread the word of fire safety.
MLK Day of Service is an initiative where
volunteers canvass various neighborhoods that have a
statistically higher ratio of home fires.

b
The American Red Cross Southern Nevada Chapter
stays active in our community in many ways. Some
events include:

October 6th and 7th a

The chapter participated in the Veteran’s Stand
Down, in which first aid kits and phone cards were
given to homeless veterans.

a

October 20th - Heroes b

Volunteer Statistics

The annual Everyday Heroes Awards breakfast
was held at Paris Las Vegas Hotel. We honored
everyday people for their extraordinary actions.

c

October 20th - Earthquake Drill

Our chapter staff participated in an earthquake drill
at 10:20 AM as part of The Great Nevada Shake
Out. We learned to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On.”

December 7th c

Photos by Joshua Hawkins/American Red Cross

Holiday Mail for Heroes Sorting Event was held at
the chapter office where volunteers and uniformed
service members sorted holiday cards for local men
and women in uniform.

Where: Four neighborhoods around the valley
When: Monday, January 16th, from 1pm to 4pm
What: Distribution of fire prevention door hangers
by ARC Volunteers, local fire fighters and other
community partners. You do not have to be a
current American Red Cross Volunteer for
this event. Participation is open to all ages 12
years and up.
If you are interested, please contact Francine Seymour
at FrancineS@redcrosslasvegas.org

February - Bowling Tournament
The Southern Nevada chapter and the Fire
Fighters of Southern Nevada Burn Foundation are
hosting a bowling tournament.
Please join us in this fun event to raise money for
the Red Cross. Get your team together and come join
the fun!
When: Feburary 25, 2012 from 3PM-6PM
Where: Orleans Bowling Lanes
Price: $35 for adults, $15 for under 18 (The price
includes 3 games of bowling, shoes, pizza and
soda.)
Call Brooke Flake at 702-369-3674 to register.
SOCIAL MEDIA

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Wilderness and Remote First Aid
Training

Picture it. You and your
family are hiking the beautiful
trails of some remote area
while you take in the majestic
vistas and wildlife, when
suddenly, something bad
happens. Someone gets hurt
or seriously injured, and
the group comes together
wondering what to do...

w

Wilderness and Remote First Aid teaches
adventurers what to do and how to be ready to
handle any emergency in the great outdoors.
Some of the important skills taught are how to
handle head, neck or spinal injuries. Students
also learn how to handle wound infection, bone
and joint injuries and many other endangering
situations.
Contact your local American Red Cross (702)
791-3311 to find out when the next class is being
held so that you, your family, or your employees
can be “Wilderness Ready.” You can also visit
RedCross.Org to see the class schedule.

stay connected!

webblog

Subscribe to our blog. Be the first to know
about volunteer events, our office staff notes,
and even free tickets to local events!
REDCROSSLASVEGAS.WORDPRESS.COM

facebook

You like us! You really like us! No, really,
you should “like” us on Facebook. We
post pictures from past events, award
presentations, current house/apartment
fires we respond to--just to name a few.
“LIKE” US ON FACEBOOK.COM

hear us tweet

Want things concise? In 140 characters or
less? You got it! Follow us on Twitter to get
the latest news. #RedCrossLove
TWITTER.COM/SNVREDCROSS

watch us on youtube

Our channel is still growing but
you can watch our first video
and learn about the things we
do in Southern Nevada.
YOUTUBE.COM/SNEVADAREDCROSS

INTERNATIONAL CASEWORK

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

OUR WORKPLACE
“SHELTER IN PLACE” KIT

RESTORING
FAMILY LINKS
Connecting once separated families

Shelter In Place: If you were
confined at your workplace
for several hours, or perhaps
overnight, the following supplies
would be recommended.

1

6

4

2

9
10

3

8
5
7

O

Aleksandr Kozachenko/American Red Cross

Agaton

One of the lesser known services that the American Red
Cross provides is called “Restoring Family Links.” Southern
Nevada caseworkers help families separated by the chaos
and confusion of war and disaster to locate missing relatives.
Volunteers work with our partners— the International
Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (ICRC)
organizations in nearly every country around the world.
Once a family member is
“That was the first time found, the Red Cross helps
them reconnect. Messages
that she learned about
can be very brief, but the
the death of her father.
three short words “I am alive”
She was saddened,
may be all that is needed to
but ultimately very
ease the minds of distraught
appreciative of the
relatives half a world away.
Red Cross...”
Red Cross messages can also
be exchanged between families
and their loved ones in refugee camps and detention centers to
allow them to keep in contact and share family news.
Gideon Agaton, one of our International caseworkers tells us
about one of his recent success stories:
A local government in Hungary
was looking for a person who had
moved to the United States. They
wanted to inform her that her
father had passed away the previous
year. The Hungarian town sought the help of Red
Cross. Apparently, the person had moved to Las Vegas.

Gideon

“

11

“I had to search for this person for months. I tried
phone calls, letters and visitations, but then one day, I
located her and met her at her house. She had changed
her name as well as her phone number which was why
it was so difficult for me to locate her. That was the first
time that she learned about the death of her father. She
was saddened, but ultimately very appreciative of the
Red Cross, and was touched by the work that we had
done to locate her and put her in touch with her family.”

With multiple cases open at all times, our volunteers in the
International division work tirelessly to bring families together.

CALL TO ACTION:
“VOLUNTEERS
NEEDED FOR SAF ”
The Service to Armed Forces (SAF) activity at the chapter is
undergoing an exciting growing period.
Due to the opening of the new VA Hospital at Pecos and 215,
as well as the 4 new clinics, SAF is nearly quadrupling their
volunteer staff to meet the demand of the new facilities.
The chapter is looking to increase the number of volunteers in the
following areas:
Volunteer Opportunities

# Positions Needed

Chapter Caseworkers

8

Nellis AFB

40

Briefing Presenters

16

Hospital Services
SAF Relationship Liaisons

400
6

That totals to 468 volunteers, as opposed to our current roster
of 132.
If you are interested in volunteering for one these
positions, please go to www.redcrosslasvegas.org to
submit a volunteer application, and indicate which
position interests you in the “Interview” box after you
state your availability.

BECOME A
VOLUNTEER
STEP 1: ONLINE
APPLICATION FORM
This application will give
us information on what
areas you are interested
in volunteering in,
your personal contact
information, as well as
past experience.
STEP 2:
BACKGROUND
CHECK
The American Red
Cross requires all staff
(paid and volunteer) to
complete a background
check before beginning
your work with the
organization. You will be
directed to an outside
website to complete your
background check.
STEP 3: ONLINE
ORIENTATION
Here you will learn more
about the American Red
Cross as an organization.
You will receive more
job-specific information
during your training.the
organization. You will be
directed to an outside
website to complete your
background check.

Find out what our staff and volunteers love about the Red
Cross from small items to bigger concepts.

IN THE OFFICE

STAFF PICKS
“The mission of the Red
Cross is something I
believe in. The organization
helps people prevent,
prepare, and respond to
emergencies by teaching
them lifesaving skills,
by assisting them in the
middle of the night due to
a housefire, linking them
with loved ones both
locally and globally.”
MARIE, Territory Service
Delivery Manager &
Theatrical Diva
‘I love all the different
pins we have! When I am
wearing a Red Cross pin
I feel empowered by the
Red Cross and what “Red
Crossers” stand for. And
they are super cute!’
ERIKA, Volunteer &
Administration Manager &
Burger Connoisseur
“It’s a pleasure to work with
good people.”
RALPH, Disater Caseworker

“My favorite part of the
Red Cross is Wilderness
& Remote First Aid. I can
now handle climbing falls,
desert heat, mountain cold,
and minor attacks from
local wildlife.”
LANCE, PHSS Admin
Specialist, Avid Hiker &
Junior Bear Grylls
“One of the reasons why
I decided to work for the
Red Cross is because
of the fundamental
principles. I believe they
transcend the Red Cross
and also can be applied
to our everyday lives.”
JEFF, Emergency
Services Director
“At my job at the Red
Cross I get to see where
our donations go. I
have been out on local
disasters and have met the
people who are always so
relieved to have the Red
Cross there to give them
immediate assistance.”
DONNA, Emergency
Services Volunteer
Associate

DESIGNED BY: Mavina Lim

“Bottom line: I love that we
help people. It’s a job that I
can feel good about it.”
DONI, PHSS
Training Scheduler & Red
Cross Historian
“I love our volunteers who
dedicate their time to help
our community. They give
their time so that they can
help people impacted by
disaster, and I love them
for their compassion,
dedication and service to
our community and nation.”
CANDACE, Front Desk
Receptionist & Amateur
Movie Critic
“I love the worldwide reach.
Recently, when I was in the
Middle East, I happened
to see two evidences of
the Red Cross’ presence
there within just one day.
It’s gratifying to see that
people depend on the Red
Cross all over the world
when they’re in need. “

“I love the idea of giving
back to our soldiers
by being a Service to
Armed Forces volunteer,
and helping those who
have served this country
so generously.”
KHADIJAH, Front Desk
Diva
“After I watched the movie
‘Contagion’, I realized how
unprepared I was. From
learning CPR to building
your own emergency pack
(N95 mask, please), I love
that the Red Cross teaches
people to be prepared.
Being prepared makes me
feel more confident.”

“I love that the Red Cross
helps people. They can
help those who are really in
need in times of disaster.”
APRIL, Disaster
Caseworker
“There’s so many people
that can get in an
emergency situation. As
an instructor, I give them
confidence to do the
right thing. I love that the
Red Cross can provide
that confidence.”
BARBARA, CPR and First
Aid Instructor Extraordinaire

“I love working with friendly,
congenial staff.”

“I love that the Red Cross
is always there helping
people. I randomly met a
woman on the way to the
office whose house burnt
down. The Red Cross
helped her. The Red Cross
is always there.”